Automatic lock and release for concrete mixers



Sept. 25, 1928.

M. GILSON AUTOMATIC LOCK AND RELEASE FOR CONCRETE M IXERS 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April Sept. 25, 1928.

M. GlLSON AUTOMATIC LOCK AND RELEASE FOR Filed pril 14, 1927 CONCRETE MIXERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z M w 2/ Mikes] q 511 55712 Patented Sept. 25, 1928 I I I UNIT151),;5"S'iltflES PTENT FFICE.

remnant. GILSON, or roar wasnrnoron,'wrsconsrn, Assrcnon ro KWIK-MIX concnnrn man 00., or roar wnsnmc'ron, Wisconsin.

.EEATEQEATIC LOCK AND RELEASE FOR CO NCItE'IBE MIXERS.

Application filed Apriljl, 1827. .Serial 110.183,?04. if

This invention relates to concrete mixers, the casing in section, such view corresponding In concrete mixers as heretofore. con-f to a section on the line 47-4: of Figure 1 structed,it-has been the usual practice to pro- Figure 5=-is a transverse sectional view. on. videsome form of manna lv releasable latch" the hue 5--5 of Figure 3.

5 setbat after the operator judges the mixture Referring to the drawings, itwill be seen 60 tobe substantially thoroughly mixed he re that a concrete mixerhas b'een'illustrated as x leases the latch and tilts the mixing drain into of the portable type, char e dumping position. It-is apparent that may be used. j The mixer comprises a framethe 3udgment of the operator is not always: work 1 supper ed by transverse axles 2 carryexact and, consequently, mixtures having. 111g Wheels 3. The frame provides bearings 06 different characteristics areproduced by this for a pair of outwardly projecting trunnions method with consequently varying results in formed on the supporting yoke 5. The yoke the resulting concrete.- i 5 carries the mixing drum '6 in the usual man- This invention is designed to provide. an ner a d one of the trunnions 4; is aperture v automatic release which normally maintains andicarries the driving shaft 7 which i97 themixing drum in latched position as it re- *j-gcared inthe usual manner to the mixing although other forms ceives a charge, and which requires the m1x- ",Idrum and, consequently, is design d t t t in drum to execute a predetermined number- I such drum; The other trunnion may be in the r of revolutions before the latch is automatical form of a shaft 8 and rigidly carries a latchly released, thus dispensing with the variable ing plate 9. "Further; this'shaft or trunnion j or uncertain Judgment of the operator and also rigidlyncarries the gear-10 which is ordiinsuring a uniform mixture at all times; narily used for dumping and inay mesh with a I Further objects are to provide an autoa small pinion in" the usual mannerfsuchp matic latchinv mechanism which does not 1 pinion being omittedgas' it is merely convenbeginlfito function until the drum is changedg'; tional construction; The" latching disc or butwhich is thrown intooperation preferablyqplate9*is providedlwith-a' notch 11 into bythe charging bucketand thus commences which'a latch 12 is adapted to drop when the 1 toicount or register the number, of. turns of parts are in theposition shown in Figure 1. 1 V the drum so that after a'predeterm'ined numg E Further, in connection with Figures 1 and 2 80 herof turns from the time the bucket re attention 15 called to the fact that the drum v I ceives the charge the latch is lifted; j is provided at any suitable point with a cam 1 Further objects are toprovide-"agdcvice i, member 13 for a purpose'hereinafter to apwhich is eminently practical, which maybe pear." "Also," suitable conventional mechaeasily produced, and which is substantially. nism, such, for example; as the cable 14: is fool-proof, p 3 7' provided for elevating the charging bucket An embodiment of the invention is'shown- '15 into charging position. in the accompanying drawings in which: The automatic mechanism is carried within Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts a housing 16 (see Figure 5) :Which is probroken away showing a concretemi'xer with vided with an outer wall 17 vand an inner wall 40 the counting automatic mechanism inplace a 18. This'housing also is provided with an 5 showing infull lines the position of the parts intermediate or'main wall 19 which supports during charging, and in dotted lines the 13051 the mechanism. This intermediate wall is tion of the bucket after charging; a also preferably provided with a laterally Figure 2'is a view partly in section looking turned base 20 adapted for attachment to any 45 down upon the mixing drumand the count-' suitable portion of the framework 1. 10o ing or automatic mechanism with other por It will be seen therefore that the housing tions of the apparatus omitted for the sake is divided into two compartments 21 and 22. of clearness; 7' i 1 Within the compartment 22, a rock arm23 is Figure 3 1s a" vertical "sectional view positioned and is carried by a shaft 24 rigid so through the automatic mechanism housing therewith and pivotally supported in and exshowing the parts in their relative position tending through the wall 19, as shown in and some in section, such view correspon ing I Figures 4 and 5. This rock arm 23 is spring to a section on the line's- 3 of Figure 5; urgedin one direction by means of the spring Figure a is a view from the other side of 25. It is adapted to be rocked inthe other 7 55 the apparatus showing the other portion of direction by means of areciprocatory plunger no outer end a short lever adapted to be struck by at its outer end with a pawl 30. The lever 29 is also provided with an apertured car 31 (see Figure 3) through which a connecting rod 32 extends for a purpose hereinafter to appear, the connecting rod, it being noted,

being loose within the ear 31 and provided with an enlarged head 33 at its upper end.

The pawl operates upon a ratchet wheel 34 (see Figure 3) which is revolubly carried by a stub shaft 35 rigid with the wall 19.

This ratchet wheel is rigid with a cam 36 which is provided with a high point followed by an abrupt radial face. The ratchet wheel is preferably locked against inadvertert rearward motion by latch or pawl 37. I

The cam 36 controls the motionof the lever 38, one end of which constitutes a means of a spring urged camfollower and directly contacts with the.

cam as the cam rotates.

The lover or rocking bar 38 is spring ur ed againstthe action of the cam by means of the elongated helical spring 39 (see Figure 3) control the latch tripping means hereinafter to appear.

It is 'to be noted from Figure 3 that the mechanism by lever 38 is rigid with the shaft 39 and that 1' such shaft projects outwardly through the outer wall 17 of the housing, as shown in Figure 5. This shaft 39 carries adjacent its i outer end a tripping arm 40 (see Figure 1) whose free end strikes a pro ecting portion thus raises the latch ing member rocks ina clockwise direction, as

shown in Figure 3.

Thus, from the mechanism thus far de scribed, it' is apparent that when the cam 36 executes one complete revolution that the lever 38 will drop into the cutaway portion of thecam and clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3, thus releasing the catch 12 and permitting dumping of the mixing drum. I

urther, it is to be noted that when this occurs that the connecting link 32 which is pivotally carried by the of the lever 29 and, consequently, prevents rocation of the pawl 30, as it holds the sha t 24 in its extreme position, and prevents rocking. of such of th .of th It is adaptedto' the lever 38 or rockwill, consequently, rock in a ever 38 (see Figure 3) drops downwardly upon the car 31- 'reci is tripped the counting mechanism matic mec and is adapted to rock it into theposition full lines in Figure '3 when the plunger 42 is moved inwardly. This plung-- shown in er is spring urged outwardly by means of the spring 43 and 1s carried. in suitable'guides 44 mounted upon the wall-19. The outer end 4 e plunger is provided with a roller 45 adapted to be struck by one of the arms 46 e charging bucket when the charging bucket is in charge delivering or elevated position, as shown in Figu of the plunger 43 strikes the lower tail of the cam 41 and rocks the cam into the osition shown in Figure 3. A pin 46 is prefera ly provided for limiting the motion of the cam 41. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When the charging bucket is rocked into vertical position-it passes the plunger 42 inwardlyand rocks the cam 41 into the position or autoanism is thrown out of operation. v v,

The means for initiating the operation of r the automatic mechanism is controlled by re 1. The inner end step or ratchet mechanism is thus rendered effective and, consequently, the ratchet wheel 34 is stepped one notch for each revolution of the mixing drum. This rotates the cam 36 and'holds the lever 38 and consequently U I the latch tripping lever 40,,inthe position and 3. The latch 12 thus shown in Figuresl remains in the notch ure 1) and prevents dumping of the mixing drum.

of the disc 9 (see Fig-' The cam rapidly raises and holds. I i

the lever 38, as stated, against rocking mo tion. However, completed one revolution, the lever 38 suddenly drops downwardly, rocking in a clockwise direction about its pivotal axis. This causes the tripping arm40 to engage'the portion 12' of the latch and release the latch, thus permitting dumping of the mixing drum. At the same time, this downward rocking of the lever holds the lever 29 in its rearmost actuation of the ratchet mechanism.

It is to be noted particularly that although the invention has been illustrated as relating to a -tilting mixing drum, it obviously is equally applicable to other types of mixing drums ovided that the mechanism controls the loc 'ngof the material discharging portion' of the apparatus, and itis accordingly to be understood that the invention is to be interpreted as including this type of drum as well as the one illustrated.

after the ratchet wheel hasposition-and prevents further" a chargin notch therein,

' reciprocatory therefore, that a very practical counting or automatic device has been provided which is actuated from the rotating mixing drum and which releases the latch after a predetermined number of revoluti ns of the mixing drum.

It will be seen further that the automatic device is rendered inoperative when the latch is raised, as described above, and is again thrown into operation when the charging bucket delivers a charge to the mixing drum.

It will be seen further that the device is of simple construction and may beeeasily produced and is substantially fool-proof.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed. i

I claim:

l. A concrete mixer comprising a frame a revoluble mixing drum pivotally-carried by said frame, latching mechanism temporari y restraining said bucket, means for elevating said eliver a charge to said drum, a cam drum, aratchet wheel and from. said cam, a secon latch after'said drum has executed .a'prede termined number of revolutions.v

2. AC concerte mixer comprising revoluble mixin drum pivotally carried said frame, latc ing mechanism restraining said drum against tilting motion, a charging bucket, bucket to deliver a charge to said drum, a cam carried by said drum, pawl actuated from said cam, carried by said ratchet wheel, y said second drum termined number of revolutions,

f said ratchet ration o means bemg a frame a a ratchet wheel an a second cam has executed for initiating the. ope

said and pawl mechanism, thrown into operation by the elevation of sai charging bucket.

3. A concrete mixer comprising a'frame, a

' dby said frame 7 revoluble drum tiltingly came and provided with a locking disc adapted to drop into said notch, automatic mechanism carried by said frame an comprising a ratchet wheel, a pawl cooperating therewith, a said drum, means positioned having a cam carried by drum against tilting motion,-.-.

cam carried by said ratchetwheel, and means";-

actuated by said second cam for tripping said," bucket"- having with said plunger and adapted to drive said temporarily means .for elevating said and means ac-'- l cam for tripping sai a. predeand means matic mechanism after said drum has executed a predetermined crating said pawl, a second cam driven from said ratchet wheel, latch releasing means operated from said second cam, a projecting plunger adapted to be moved inwardly by said charging bucket when "said charging bucket is moved to charge delivering position, and means actuated by said projecting plunger for initiating the operation of said automatic mechanism.

i. A concrete mixer comprising a frame, a revoluble drum tiltingly mountedwithin said frame and having a latching discprovided with a notch, a latch adapted to drop into said notch to temporarily restrain said drum from tilting motion, a cam carrie by 'said drum, automatic mechanism carried by said frame and including a ratchet wheel, a pawl cooperating therewith, a plunger for actuating said pawl arranged in the path of movement of said cam, a second cam rigid with said ratchet wheel, a lever controlled by said second cam and connected to said pawl to render said pawl inoperative when said lever is released by said cam, latch tripping mechanism operated from said lever and adapted to raise said latch from said notch, a third cam for moving said lever into pawl releasing position, a plunger, cooperating with said third cam, a charging bucket, means for elevating said charging bucket, said charging a portion positioned in line y to actuate said third. cam.

plun er inwarc the comblnation 5. n a mixing machine,

- of a frame, a mixing drum carried by said frame, discharge means for discharging material from said drum, a latch for preventin the discharging. means from operating,an automatic means for releasin said latch after d said drum has executed a pre etermined number of revolutions.

6. In a mixing machine, the combination of a. mixing drum carried thereby for discharging material from said ol ing said discharging means against operation, acharging bucket for delivering a charge to said drum, autofor releasing said latch number of revolutions, and means for initiating the operation of said automatic'mechanism when said bucket is moved to charging ition.

In testimony have hereunto set my that I claim the foregoing I hand at Port Washington, in the, county of Ozaukee and State LHCHAEL unison." f

Wisconsin..:- a

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